Norfolk Orienteering Club invite you to a “County and City” weekend of orienteering. Click here for details of the events.

A Parkland & Forest Event at National Trust Blickling Estate on Saturday 19th November

An Urban Event in Norwich City Centre on Sunday 20th November

Blickling Estate

The manor of Blickling is recorded in the Domesday Book. Its owners have included Sir John Fastolf and Geoffrey Boleyn, grandfather of Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated wife of Henry VIII who was born here. The present red-brick mansion was built 1616-24 by Robert Lyminge (the architect of Hatfield) for Sir Henry Hobart, 1st Baronet, Lord Chief Justice to James I.

During World War 2 the Hall and wider estate were requisitioned. Royal Air Force Oulton was a bomber base created on the Blickling Estate in 1939 and undertook work vital to the war effort before being closed for operations in 1946, and finally decommissioned in 1949. The aircraft flown from the station ranged from Blenheim medium bombers to the famous Fortress heavy bomber.

Blickling Park is undulating grass parkland, with scattered mature oak trees and random large distinct dead stag oaks. This creates sprint like orienteering courses requiring quick decision making and fast running. Longer courses visit Great Wood, a mature wooded hillside, with remnants of past quarrying activity creating large scattered depressions and intricate contour features.

The City of Norwich

Norwich has a rich history. Just south of the city, you can see the remains of the Roman regional capital at Caistor St Edmunds – founded after the defeat of the area’s Iceni tribe led by the famous Queen Boudicca.

As England’s second city from medieval days through to the Industrial Revolution, Norwich has always been enormously prosperous and culturally active. Norman invaders gave us the imposing castle and the spired Anglican cathedral. As the city grew, so did its towered defensive wall and still intact medieval street pattern – the largest in Europe.

The competition area comprises the historic medieval city of Norwich bounded by the river Wensum on the east side, with parts of the old city wall visible in the south, west and north. The area around the Castle, on higher ground, provides challenging route finding, whilst the intricate network of small passageways should provide lots of route choice. Those of you that think Norfolk is flat may be in for a surprise!

Take a look at some photos of the 2015 inaugural Norwich City Race